With one of their stars missing, they exited to Spain at the quarter-final stage.

Gomis, a member of the France side that triumphed in Latvia in 2009, says the EuroBasket Women title defence can become a complicated affair in a tournament full of surprises

Gomis felt the pain of the defeat. Worse was being unable to savour the simple joy of throwing a ball through a hoop.

"I felt that my life was nothing without basketball," she reveals.

"I need it. I need to play against the best players in the world. That's what makes me happy.

"I felt angry when my team-mates were playing against the USA. They knew it would be difficult. For me, it was amazing. Even to play 5 or 10 minutes against this team, that's the reason why I wake up every day and go to practice. Basketball is not just a sport for me. C'est la vie."

Les Bleues are not just her team-mates. They are a second family.

In Katowice, they had to bond together in adversity, escaping elimination with a victory over Poland in their final game of the second round group. After sharing disappointment, they earned the elation.

"We share a lot," she states.

"I think that's where our power comes from. We need to play together. And it's our team. We win together, every player. We all understand that."

Now the French face Lithuania in Thursday's quarter-final at the Lodz Arena, clinging to the hope that they can defend their title and secure their ticket to next year's Olympics.

It is a changed team from two years ago in Latvia. Behind them, the country's brilliant young generation has begun to emerge. There are huge hopes for the future. The present group is still fighting to prove its worth.

It will not be easy, Gomis states. This has been a tournament of surprises.

"Look at Spain," she says.

"Did you think Spain wouldn't be at the quarters? And Belarus too? Look at Croatia. It's amazing. What a surprise. Look at Montenegro. They've not lost. This is a new EuroBasket. It's not like two years ago when we came like we could win every game.

"We are not the same team . Every day, it's hard. Imagine if when you play against Croatia, everyone knew you'd win. Why would you bother playing then? This is what competition is about. I like it."